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Irish Times

Seized criminal assets to be disposed of more quickly under new measures

Criminals will face seeing their seized assets being sold more quickly as part of a package of reforms being brought to Cabinet today. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will bring a review of the Proceeds of Crime Act, which was passed at the same time as the legislation which set up the Criminal Assets Bureau in 1996, to Cabinet. The legislation governing the treatment of the proceeds of crime is periodically reviewed, and under amendments to be brought following the review, CAB will be given new powers which aim to strengthen its operations and its ability to target the proceeds of crime. Under the Bill, assets that are the proceeds of crime can be disposed of after two years instead of five, while a receiver can also be put in immediately after they are determined to be such assets so people cannot continue to benefit from them prior to the State selling them off. READ MORE Organised crime in Ireland is estimated to be worth about €1.7 billion annually. Minister for Housing James Browne is to bring forward new planning design standards for apartments , which were reported on over the weekend. The Government believes they will result in an average reduction of €50,000 per apartment unit. They will allow for more one-bedroom and studio apartments, and reduce some apartment sizes, while changing rules around the number of apartments in a scheme that have to exceed minimum sizes by 10 per cent. Other matters such as loosening restrictions on dual aspect, governing natural light, will also be contained. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe will bring a Bill legislating for a statutory 'right to be forgotten' for cancer survivors when it comes to buying a home or insurance products. The legislation will adapt a Bill brought forward in this area by Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South Central Catherine Ardagh. The new legislation will focus on mortgage -protection insurance. Minister for Climate Darragh O'Brien will bring forward amendments on air pollution to support enforcement personnel monitoring air quality. He will also ask the Cabinet to note the outcomes of the 29th COP conference in Baku. Meanwhile, Minister for Communications Patrick O'Donovan will update the cabinet on the National Broadband Plan, telling Ministers that the project is on track to be delivered ahead of time and within its budget. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will bring amendments to the health Act including new requirements for the Health Service Executive board and chief executive regarding budgetary management, and requiring that proposals for corrective action be put in place where expenditure levels are exceeded. The annual report of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will be brought to Cabinet by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke , along with a report on Irish competitiveness and the Enterprise Ireland report for 2024.